5 — Tuesday, November 3, 2015 Arts The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com LITERATURE COLUMN Exploring ‘Jest’ T he start of my enthrall- ment with David Foster Wallace would have infuriated the deceased, reclu- sive author — it began when I watched someone else espouse his ideas in a film version of his life. I found his persona fascinating in “The End of the Tour,” the movie adaptation of last few days of the “Infinite Jest” book tour. Upon further research after viewing the film, Foster’s magnetism drew me in even more. I decided I had to embark upon a literary journey unlike any other I have previ- ously contemplated — I had to read “Infinite Jest.” But to read “Infinite Jest” is to voyeuristically look into Wal- lace’s past, which provided much of the backbone of the novel. Wallace, born in 1962, attended Amherst College and struggled with depression and addiction to drugs and alcohol throughout much of his young life. After writing “Infinite Jest,” which is 1,100 pages with 330 footnotes, Wallace continued to write and teach at Emerson College and Illinois State University. On Sept. 12, 2008, Wallace committed sui- cide in California. The few inter- views with Wallace, who is such a soft-spoken, fumbling neurotic, are captivating and heartbreak- ing. The most difficult question to answer about “Infinite Jest” is: what is it about? Because the answer is everything. There are over 1,000 pages of content about depression, loneliness, addiction, tennis, familial relations and love on which you can focus. As Dave Eggers said in his original review of the novel, “Infinite Jest” is “more about David Foster Wallace than any- thing else.” Eggers, who wrote the foreword for the most recent edi- tion, is correct. It’s about Wallace’s deep desires and secrets, but most of all it’s about what he wanted for the future of his craft. Wallace was hell-bent on changing fiction —and he did. This book is confusing and strange and downright disgust- ing at times. But it is beautiful and challenges its readers like nothing else ever has. It is set in the future in a uni- fied North American superstate called the Organization of North American Nations, or O.N.A.N. There is not a chronological plot or a clear-cut conclusion — we jump from location to location, from characters we get to know well to characters with agoniz- ing secrets to whom we are only exposed once. There are two major loca- tions in which the stories take place: the prep school, Enfield Tennis Academy and, down the street, the Ennet House Drug and Alcohol Recovery House. The physical closeness of these two locations leads to the intertwining storylines. James O. Incandenza, the patriarch of the Incandenza Family, has recently committed suicide. He was a filmmaker and the founder of Enfield Tennis Academy, and the plot somewhat revolves around the missing mas- ter copy of his last piece of work, titled “Infinite Jest.” Canadian separatists are attempting to locate “Infinite Jest” to commit terrorist acts against the United States. The novel carefully exam- ines the neuroses of the rest of the Incandenza family and the way that their insanity bleeds into the school. But some of the most jarring parts of “Infinite Jest” come from the sections on Ennet House, where Wallace unforgivingly examines the gro- tesque and disgusting parts of the human psyche. When I told people that I was reading “Infinite Jest” for my literature column, everyone seemed to have a considerable reaction. “Wow, but it’s so long!” was a common one. A fellow Daily Arts Writer warned me that she heard it was a “bro book,” which is valid, as the novel is mostly concerned with the preoccupa- tions and compulsions of its men. But the most common reply was “I haven’t read it yet.” In my life full of predominantly English and humanities majors and professors, only one and a half people have actually read “Infinite Jest” — one friend has read the first 400 pages three times but hasn’t gotten past that point. For all the novel’s glory and rec- ognition, it seems impossible that so many academics and students still have not read it. I’ll admit it; the sheer depth of it is intimidat- ing. For the first few days after buying it, it sat next to my bed while I just admired it and tried to wrap my head around the fact that I would be reading over 1,000 of the most acclaimed pages ever. Before actually plucking up the courage to start reading, I used “Infinite Jest” as a small stand for my computer and a weight for my arm exercises. But the book is incredible because even with so much content, in the actual book, it never felt like any of it was unnecessary. Even the three hun- dred or so footnotes are entirely essential to understanding any of the plots. Every page felt heavy with the importance that Wallace so delicately embedded in it. “The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you.” This line stuck with me until the end of the novel. But this book has so much truth in it that you would have it read it about 10 more times before you ever get close to liberation. It seems the only thing to do is pick it up and start again. Lerner is setting up a game of eschaton. To join, e-mail rebler@umich.edu. REBECCA LERNER TV REVIEW Triumphant ‘Dance’ By SAM ROSENBERG For The Daily Young adulthood can be one of the most transformative periods in a person’s life, as well as one of the most chal- lenging. It’s a time when you develop relationships, become inde- pendent and figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. How- ever, being a young adult also involves dealing with a lot of angst and self-doubt. In her touch- ing documentary “How to Dance in Ohio,” filmmaker Alexandra Shiva (“Stagedoor”) offers some insight on this topic by focusing on a group of teenagers and young adults from Columbus, Ohio all of whom are on the autism spectrum. With the help of clinical psycholo- gist Emilio Amigo at his family counseling center, these individu- als spend 12 weeks preparing for their first spring formal dance, learning how to improve their social and communication skills — and of course, how to dance. Filmed in 2013 and premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Fes- tival, “How to Dance in Ohio” gives more than a simple depiction of people with autism. Through Shiva’s sensitive direction and the film’s unobtrusive cinematogra- phy, “How to Dance in Ohio” high- lights the daunting experience of breaking out of your comfort zone and how it can lead to per- sonal growth. Nothing about this film feels manipulative or exploit- ative; rather, it offers viewers the chance to see both the struggles and triumphs of young people with autism. Although the film portrays the sessions that take place at Ami- go’s Family Counseling, it mostly centers around the perspectives of three young women from the group: Marideth Bridges, 16; Car- oline McKenzie, 19; and Jessica Sullivan, 22. Regardless of their different ages, they each encoun- ter difficulties in learning how to adapt to the world around them. Marideth, a self-described introvert, spends most of her time on the computer and reading ran- dom facts in world almanacs. She also likes researching, but feels uncomfortable explaining to the camera what she is researching exactly. Though Marideth’s perse- verant habits and her reluctance to interact with others are common among people with autism, the film conveys just how hard it can be to live with such a condition. In one of the film’s most heartbreak- ing scenes, Marideth expresses to her parents at a sit-down restau- rant that she might not want to have kids and wonders if she will even get married some day. It’s an emotionally stirring moment that’s guaranteed to make view- ers’ hearts drop, yet it reminds the audience that Marideth’s autism doesn’t need to hinder her from living a normal life. As a director and storyteller, Shiva does a great job of showing how people with autism are just as ambitious and open to opportuni- ties as anyone else. For example, Caroline mentions her enrollment as a student at Columbus State Community College, her hopes of becoming an early childhood educator and her dream of trav- eling to Japan. Early in the film, Jessica negotiates a plan with her parents to live on her own, and she is later seen working at a bak- ery called Food for Good Thought for young adults on the spectrum. But much like Marideth, Caroline and Jessica undergo the stresses of social anxiety and the pressures of being perceived by others in a negative way. Caroline agonizes over dancing well at the formal and what to do if she becomes too overwhelmed to ride the public bus to class. Jessica becomes frus- trated when the bakery’s owner, a psychologist named Dr. Audrey Todd, tells her that Jessica has developed a superior attitude towards her co-workers. Despite Jessica, Caroline and Marideth’s ongoing difficulties with fitting into the mainstream, the film presents their situations in a hon- est and respectful light. In addi- tion, the interviews with their families showcase both the con- cern and support that they have for their children who go through this difficult journey every day. While the film can be very emotional at times, there are some humorous and sweet moments as well. In one scene, Marideth and her younger sister discuss Chief Keef, the irrelevance of Soulja Boy, the turbulence of Miley Cyrus’s career and long-haired men. The sequence where Caro- line and Jessica go shopping for formal dresses with their mothers is also particularly heartwarm- ing. Not only do these clips give the documentary heart and depth, but they also illustrate how young adults with autism have the same interests and goals as any other young adult. At the actual for- mal, the climax of “How to Dance in Ohio,” you can see how this group has developed so quickly and overcome their initial fears in such a short amount of time. The only arguably flawed moment in this film is the inclusion of Katy Perry’s pop hit “Firework” in the credits scene. But even though “Firework” makes the ending slightly cheesy, you can’t help but feel overjoyed to watch these indi- viduals do something that most people with autism don’t get the chance to do. A- How to Dance in Ohio HBO Documentary Films FESTIVAL REPORT Killers’ classic debut By REGAN DETWILER and RACHEL KERR Daily Arts Writers This week, Daily Music Writ- ers are looking back on the first albums they ever loved. Today, Regan Detwiler and Rachel Kerr remember The Killers’ Hot Fuss. I first heard “Mr. Brightside” when I was nine years old, on my home town’s locally owned alter- native station. It quickly became a car ride highlight, and soon my mom bought the Hot Fuss CD from Barnes & Noble. Months later when I heard it on the local pop station, I felt that first twinge of angry dejection at the injustice of hearing a song that you dis- covered out for the whole world to hear. (Thus began my life as an obnoxious alternative music snob.) My nine years of life thus far had been fairly — OK, incred- ibly — innocent. I was that kid who wasn’t allowed to watch PG movies (don’t even think about PG-13). It’s no surprise that “Mr. Brightside” sparked my excit- able curiosity: I didn’t know what “taking a drag” was — dare I guess? This, and lines like “But she’s touching his chest now” and “He takes off her dress now, letting me go” made my imagina- tion wander to places I had never been. This mysteriously and darkly ambiguous lyrical style paired with The Killers’ perfume- stained velvet rock carries through the whole album, which I listened to religiously well into the next couple of years. Memo- rizing every word and every melody, I indulged myself in imaginative gymnastics in an effort to decode the messages waiting behind the shadowy phrases, like in “Believe Me Natalie”: “Forget what they said in SoHo, leave the oh-no’s out” — what could they have said in SoHo? What were the oh-no’s? As a sort of musical coming-of- age, Hot Fuss not only appealed to more explorative aspects of this stage in life, but also to the turbulent emotions character- istic of pre-adolescence. Lying alone in my room, a pathetic puddle of self-pity after my first real fights with my parents, I must have listened to “Every- thing Will Be Alright” a million times over the course of about two years. But at least I had “All These Things That I’ve Done” to pick me back up. This was also my best friend’s favorite album at the time, so when our families made the 13-hour drive to South Carolina that summer, you know what was in the CD player. We drove through the Rockies with the sun up and the windows down and let Hot Fuss play three times through. Now when I hear a song from this album on the radio, I can start singing the next track on the album as soon as that one ends. — Regan Detwiler It’s December 2004 in Las Vegas. I’m at the Rubio’s, six min- utes away from my house with my grandma, eating a chicken burrito off the kids’ menu. At the table next to me is Ronnie Van- nucci, eating a quesadilla, alone. For all of you who weren’t obses- sively in to The Killers, Ronnie Vannucci is their drummer and for all of you who grew up east of the Rocky Mountains, Rubio’s is a Mexican fast food chain. “That’s the drummer of the band that sings ‘Mr. Brightside!!!’ ” I whispered to my grandma. And of course, she knew what I was referring too because, in 2004, even 60-year-old women couldn’t avoid that song. She urged me to say something to him — “tell him how much you like his band!” — but she didn’t understand. I didn’t like his band, I loved his band. And would I even say? Should I start by apologiz- ing for even recognizing him? I mean, how often does the drum- mer of an up-and-coming band get stopped in public places? And by a nine-year-old, no less? How did I explain that’d I memorized all their faces and that Brandon Flowers, the lead singer, was my first real crush? Or do I just begin by thank- ing him for Hot Fuss, the band’s debut album, my first favor- ite album, full of Joy Division decadence and Depeche Mode moods? Or even further, for my yet realized love of ’80s pop-rock music, whose origin could only later be traced back to years of listening to Hot Fuss and their follow up album, Sam’s Town, on repeat? Do I mention that I, like the band, am also from Las Vegas? Or maybe explain that I noticed the influence the city had had on the album, from its grandi- ose production to its lush lyrics, and wanted to thank them for capturing how it feels to live in Las Vegas in a sound? Could I tell him that I really identified with the “Sin City” cynicism of the album, despite being in ele- mentary school and not having any idea what that even meant yet? Was it weird to tell him that my dad had cried to “All These Things That I’ve Done?” To explain that the otherwise tough guy who openly discussed his atheism with his 10-year- old daughter had been deeply affected by the line “I got soul but I’m not a soldier” because it explained how he felt about grappling with faith and moral- ity and the meaning of life. Or did I just tell him that I liked his shirt because it was a really pretty shade of blue? No, I couldn’t say any of these things to him, so I panicked and decided to say nothing. I let him continue to eat his quesadilla, while I nervously continued to gawk at him eating his quesa- dilla. When I got home, I went straight to my room and let Hot Fuss play over and over and over again, because how many times do you get to see the drummer of your favorite band at Rubio’s? Probably only once. And how many times to you get to have a first favorite album? Definitely only once. — Rachel Kerr YouT ube all grown up By KAREN HUA Daily TV/New Media Editor Last weekend, the third annu- al Buffer Festival welcomed You- Tube filmmakers from across to globe to Toronto. The familiar videos we usually watch on our personal mobile devices and laptops streamed in front of live audiences in the extravagant theaters of Toronto’s historic entertainment district. And the familiar YouTubers we connect- ed with through a screen graced a red carpet before us, discussing their work with us personally. Less chaotic than the fan- crazed Playlist Live, less uptight than the business venture Vid- Con has become, the humble Canadian Buffer Fest empha- sizes not the lucrative business behind YouTube, but the struc- tured, scripted, high-quality content emerging on the plat- form. Spread over three days, videos were screened in catego- ries: short films, comedy sketch- es, travel and adventure, gaming and animation, among others. “YouTube is moving toward a direction of professionalism,” said Corrado Coia of Apprenti- ceA Productions, one of the four co-founders of Buffer. “Some of these YouTubers have feature- length films in episodic format, and they do actually rival Holly- wood quality. So they need to get the proper treatment — get them in a nice theater.” Events like Buffer also encourage creators to experi- ment beyond new media — to work with podcasts, long-form scripted film, TV pilots — to mix other mediums with YouTube. Adrianna DiLonardo and Sarah Rotella of the Gay Women Channel are the writer and director, respectively, of “Almost Adults,” a coming-of-age LGBTQ feature film that was funded on Kickstarter. “(YouTubers are) using new media and their fan base to launch them into what they want to be doing outside of new media.” Rotella said. “Everyone is making their own content, but all of these YouTubers are get- ting books and doing movies, too.” The effect of their film has had a trickle-down effect. Firstly, they have integrated their exist- ing YouTube fan base into view- ership for their film. Secondly, their loyal subscribers have become devoted to the movie’s actors, who have their own up- and-coming channels. Winny Clarke, a budding actress who plays Elliot in “Almost Adults,” just launched her own channel in October and plans to produce weekly comedy sketches. “The traffic that the Gay Women Channel has is amaz- ing, so every time I do something with them, it just sends traffic my way, as well,” Clark said. The best part though, as DiLondardo noted, is that “it’s nice being your own boss.” Similarly, Louis Cole, who has gained a following of over 1.6 mil- lion subscribers with his travel videos, mentioned how he’s ready to experiment beyond vlogging. Next year, he’s scheduled to cir- cumnavigate the world in a plane with fellow YouTuber, JP. “I’d love to explore partnering with someone and creating long- form content, like a documenta- ry, would be fun,” he said. Cole predicts the future of new media will look quite different. “I think everything will over- lap, but there’ll be specific con- tent on different platforms,” Cole said. “So there’s still gonna be the very homemade relatable content on YouTube. There’ll also be the high-end content other sites put out like with their subscription service. I don’t think that’s gonna replace the homemade content.” However, Cole’s sentiment about homemade content may be challenged by the very platform that encourages him to experi- ment. On Oct. 21, just two days prior to Buffer Fest, YouTube Chief Business Officer, Robert Kyncl, announced “YouTube Red” — a $9.99 monthly sub- scription service that that allows for ad-free, offline streaming. Red will also feature exclusive original content from the most popular YouTubers. Felix Kjell- berg (PewDiePie) has already unveiled a reality-horror series, produced by “The Walking Dead” creators. A Lilly Singh (||Superwoman||) world tour documentary is also projected. Thus, Red will prompt creators to strive for high-quality, high production-value content, much like the material screened at Buf- fer Fest. On the other hand, many at Buffer Fest wondered if, in the aim for higher quality, YouTube is trying too hard to be the love- child of Netflix and Spotify pre- mium – trying too hard to become the “future of television.” “I’m not sure I want You- Tube to look like cable TV when it grows up,” said author John Green in a recent vlog explaining the pros and cons of Red. “You- Tube isn’t something you watch — it’s something you’re part of.” While Red protects all con- tent creators (especially small up-and-comers) from AdBlock, which restricts advertising and thus their main stream of rev- enue, Red arguably creates more inequality than the level play- ing field it intends to. Before, YouTube was a flat, universal platform of equal opportunity; anyone with Internet had just as much potential to reach an audience as anyone else. How- ever, Red will create two class- es of viewers: those who can pay and those who can’t. Now, regular YouTube users will be without access to the high-end content that events like Buffer Fest emphasize and celebrate. One petition to stop Red already has over 16,000 signa- tures in just 10 days. YouTube is supposed to be an equalizer; a platform that anyone, regardless of age, nationality, experience, or socioeconomic status — can both consume and create on. I have the same opportunity to make a viral video just the same as Jenna Marbles once did with her web- cam. Furthermore, YouTube as become a gateway to branch off into a variety of other mediums – films, podcasts, etc. To create inequality at the basic consumer level now is to restrict the con- tent creators of the future. We all started as consumers, subscrib- ers and fans. MUSIC NOTEBOOK